Drainage control



Dec. 1, 1936. H. J. MASTENBROOK DRAINAGE CONTROL Filed June 14, 1932 Patented Dec. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES DRAINAGE ooN'moL Henry J. Mastenbrook,

Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Swartwout Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 14, 1932, Serial 617,184

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a drainage control system. It has to do, more particularly, with a method and apparatus for controlling the fluid discharge from large capacity condensate collecting tanks.

The water of condensation in steam pipes may be drawn oil by means of steam trap systems that handle small amounts of steam and water or by means of large condensate collecting tanks that are discharged very rapidly after the condensate reaches a predetermined level.

In my novel method and apparatus for discharging large capacity condensate collecting tanks, I intend to employ a steam trap system to pass small amounts of water and steam from a large collecting tank, and to avail myself of this system as a source of fluid pressure for operating a pressure actuated valve in the main fluid discharge line to quickly bleed ofi a large volume of the liquid contents of the tank.

One object of this invention is to obtain a quick acting, automatic control for regulating the discharge from large capacity fluid tanks. v

Another object is to control the major discharge of the contents of a collecting tank in response to conditions in the tank. Another object is to control the discharge of fluid contents of a collecting tank in response to variations in water level. Another object is to provide two separate systems of discharge, one depending on the other for actuation, and acting to supplement and aid the first in quickly discharging a predetermined volume of the tank contents. Another object is to place a dual control on the collecting tank, one to handle small amounts of water and to pass the fluid as fast as it collects, the other to induce a major discharge to quickly bleed 01f a considerable volume. Still another object is to provide a system that will operate without manual intervention after being once regulated. Another object is to provide a system of discharge that may be shut down and re-established without priming or without danger of unbalanced pressure conditions arising that would disrupt the system and prevent its return to normal operation.

Other objects and advantageous features of this invention will be noted in the following detailed description and accompanying drawing 50 wherein like characters of reference designate like parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a layout of the control system showing the drainage control valve in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to that of Fig. 1 showing the steam trap line as well as the drainage control line discharging, and also illustrating a modified connection for the steam trap discharge pipe.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown the apparatus for controlling the discharge of fluid associated with a large capacity condensate tank A. This tank has an inlet pipe I and an outlet pipe 2 that leads to a sump or other convenient point of discharge. The waters of condensation entering the pipe may rise to a certain predetermined level where I place another discharge pipe 3 that also leads to the sump or to a separate point of discharge, as desired.

The outlet pipe 2 constitutes one part of the drainage system and is intended to permit a large flow of liquid from the bottom of the tank when a pressure actuated valve V is operated, the valve being placed at some point in the line behind the discharge end thereof. The pressure valve may be of the usual type having a valve seat 4, closure 5 and diaphragm chamber 6 divided by a diaphragm I connected to the closure by the spring pressed stem 8. Fluid under pressure acting on the top of the diaphragm serves to unseat the closure against the force of the spring indi cated at 9, which returns the closure to seating relation with its seat when pressure is relieved in the diaphragm chamber.

The discharge line 3 is intended to pass small amounts of water and steam and to maintain the level of the liquid in the tank at a predeter mined point, consistent with the rate of flow of fluid thereinto. To this end, a steam trap S of the inverted bucket type is placed at some point in the line preferably with the upper level of the float chamber at the same level as the normal high water level in the tank. The pipe between the tank and the steam trap is dropped, as shown, in a U to accomodate the placement or" the trap and further is of small bore to insure that the fluid in the system will be replenished from the float chamber of the trap after operation of the trap. An added precaution against loss of liquid in the system before the trap through back flow lies in the check valve I4 adjacent the tank.

The discharge line on the outlet side of the tank identified by the numeral l2, may lead directly to a sump as indicated in Fig. 1, or may be tapped into the line 2 as shown in Fig. 2, provided the pipe 2 is large enough to prevent the building up of excessive back pressure during discharge of condensate from the tank A. Two manual valves I5 and I6 are placed at spaced points in the line, the valve l5 acting in the capacity of a shut off valve to close the line just ahead of the trap outlet and the other valve serving the function of a reducing valve which could be replaced by a small pipe section or other device for producing a fixed orifice of small cross section.

At a point in the pipe l2 between the valves l5 and It, a lead ll is taken to the diaphragm chamber of the pressure valve through which pressures established in the line l2 behind the valve it are reflected.

The method of controlling the discharge of fluid from the tank can be readily observed from a description of the operation of the apparatus, reference being had to Fig. 1 showing the system under normal operative conditions and Fig. 2 during a period of discharge. It will be assumed that the level of the liquid in the tank lies at the mouth of the steam trap system, however does not cover the mouth so that fluid does percolate through the trap system, through the bucket chamber and leak past the float valve into the discharge line on the outlet side of the trap. The valve is": is, of course, opened wide and the valve is is adjusted to provide a very small orifree, so that the pipe l2 between valves l5 and H3 constitutes a chamber having a restricted outlet, and thereby building up a pressure head in the system which is reflected through the connections ll to the diaphragm chamber of the valve 3. The adjustment of the valve 16 determines the pressure on the pressure actuated valve and it is desirable that the pressure be such that the valve 3 does not open as long as the bucket trap is operating normally to pass just sumcient liquid to maintain the level in the tank at a predetermined point. The fluid escaping past the valve 56, of course, is discharged through the pipe 2 to the sump.

This percolating operation of the bucket trap is stopped when for any cause, the level of fluid in the tank rises above the inlet which stops the percolation of fluid and causes the bucket in the trap to sink. It will be appreciated that a head is already established in the discharge line [2 between the trap outlet and the valve l6 and when the trap valve is opened wide, an additional pressure is built up ahead of the valve l6, that is reflected through the lead ll to the diaphragm chamber of the valve V. This additional pressure is sufficient to overcome the resistance of the spring 93 whereupon the closure is cracked away from its seat allowing the discharge of liquid from the tank A. When the level in the tank gets below the mouth of the pipe 3, steam again percolates through the water in the U- section of the pipe into the bucket of the trap and raising the trap valve to closed position. The small orifice in the valve It quickly bleeds off the actuating pressure in the absence of further pressure by way of the trap and the valve V is permitted to close. The system is now restored to conditions of normal operation which will continue until such time as the level of the water in the tank rises above the outlet to the line 3. For any given pressure in the system, the size of the orifice in the valve 16 determines the length of the period of opening of the main valve V.

Assuming that the system. has been shut down for repairs and that the operation thereof is to be re-established, the valve i5 may be closed until the water in the tank rises to its normal level else actuating pressures be established in the line ll to the pressure valve that would tend to bleed off liquid from the tank prematurely. As the valve 15 is opened, the valve i6 may be regulated accordingly so that the pressure reflected in the diaphragm chamber of the pressure valve does not exceed the force of the spring 9. The trap system will then operate in its usual manner until conditions arise that will cause the opening thereof whereupon the cycle of operations set forth above will take place.

The adjustment and regulation of the system is all readily effected by manipulation of the hand valves l5 and Hi. When the valve I5 is closed and the valve l6 open, the whole system is closed and no discharge is permitted, since the valve V is also closed because of the absence of pressure in the chamber 6 thereof. When the valve I6 is closed and the valve l5 open, any pressure in the system sufficient to open the valve V keeps the main discharge wide open. Between these extreme conditions the frequency, rate and amount of discharge through both the bucket trap S and the main valve V, can be established within the limits of the discharge load on the system.

While those skilled in the art have long been familiar with various well known types of inverted bucket traps, I refer for the sake of more complete identification to my application Serial No. 597,938, filed March 10, 1932, now Patent No. 2,024,774, granted Dec. 17, 1935, wherein the bucket trap which I prefer to employ is more completely disclosed and claimed.

It will be seen from the foregoing that my apparatus provides a quick acting drainage control that will require a minimum of care and attention and further, is one that may be readily and quickly placed in operation after shut down for repairs, cleaning and the like. I do not wish to limit myself to the specific form of apparatus shown and described, as modifications within the spirit of my invention will be evident to those skilled in the art, and I do not wish to be limited in the scope of my patent in any manner other than by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:-

1. The combination of a container for steam and liquid having an inlet and an outlet, a discharge pipe connected to said outlet, a pressure actuated valve in said discharge pipe having a pressure chamber, a conduit connected to the portion of the container normally containing steam and at its other end to a discharge pipe, a steam trap adapted to permit the discharge of condensate while substantially preventing the discharge of steam, connected to said conduit, a valve in said conduit between the outlet of said steam trap and the connection of said conduit with said discharge pipe and arranged to control the entire flow of condensate from said steam trap, connections between said conduit and the pressure chamber of said pressure actuated valve whereby pressures on the outlet side of said steam trap may be reflected in the pressure chamber of said pressure actuated valve.

2. The combination with a container for steam and liquid having an inlet and an outlet, a discharge pipe connected to said outlet, a pressure actuated valve in said discharge pipe, 2. conduit connected to the container in that portion normally containing steam, a steam trap mounted in said conduit and adapted to permit the discharge of liquid while substantially preventing the discharge of steam, a valve mounted in said conduit on the outlet side of said steam trap and arranged to control the entire flow of condensate from said steam trap, connections between said pressure actuated valve and said conduit connected to said conduit between the outlet of said steam trap and said second mentioned valve, said pressure actuated valve being operable in response to pressure in said conduit between the outlet of said steam trap and said second mentioned valve.

HENRY J. MASTENBROOK. 

